Multiple Personality Disorder in the Church

Recently I talked with a pastor of a church, who told me he was asked if he could bring together the two factions in the church. He told me that he had already identified at least eight factions in the church.

I've been thinking a lot about that and church health. If the church is the body of Christ, and has factions, it's a little like a person with multiple personalities. It isn't good and isn't easy to fix. I guess everyone has seen some movie on television where someone has multiple personalities. Whatever happens depends on which personality is dominant at that particular time. And, they can switch personalities quickly.

That seems to me to be an adequate description of a church with factions. Whatever happens in the church depends upon which faction is dominant at that particular time, and the dominate faction can change quickly.

It's an unhealthy situation in the life of the church. As I thought about that pastor and the question he was asked, I remember thinking that he would never be able to fix the problem in that church. A church with factions is a far cry from what our Father wants. Jesus prayed to Father God asking that there would be unity in the church. That's only going to happen in a church of multiple factions when they allow God to heal them.

It begins with a realization that the church is sick and that factions are sin in the body of Christ. Then comes confession, admitting to God that the church has sinned. Then the church will have to ask God's forgiveness and His healing.

When that happens God will hear and heal. Revival will come to the church and the body will become one under the lordship of Jesus. You know, there are a lot of churches that have multiple personalities and need the divine healing that can only come from God. Could your church be one?

Confrontation

Yesterday I took my blood pressure twice, and it was really high. I commented about it to my wife and her response was, "You know what you need to do." I replied, "Yes, it's stress-related and I need to quit my job." We bantered back and forth about it. By the way, that's not the problem, but it was better than admitting the real problem.

It dawned on me today that we do that a lot with God. When things are not going well His Spirit says, "You know what you need to do." Our reply is similar to mine. We offer God all kinds of things we think will fix the problem or answers we know are no solutions at all. Doing God's will seems too painful. It means giving up bad habits and letting God take control.

Yes, I really know what I need to do to deal with my blood pressure. Most of us, when we get to the point of bantering back and forth with the Spirit also know what we need to do. We're just resistant to doing it. Don't you think we should just surrender and do it?

Oh, by the way. Today I started exercising again. And, I'm working on cutting back on the sweets. It won't be easy. I think I'm busy and it seems like a waste of time to exercise. And I love chocolate way to much for it ever to be healthy to give in to my addiction. But it's time to bit the bullet, exercise, and reduce my sweet intake.

Maybe it's time for you to bite the bullet and surrender to God's will for your life.

Family

Recent events in my life gave me cause to think about the blessing of family. I was blessed to be born in a Christian home with loving parents. As my family expanded through marriage, children, and grandchildren I have experienced more love than one deserves.

On May 28 our second granddaughter, Liza Madden Davis, was born. There were a couple of moments of concern after she was born, but God is good and Liza is now home with her parents and big sister. As I returned home and thought about the experience several thoughts came to mind.

Family is precious. Everyone is born into one, but some are not as blessed as others. To have a family that loves each other and wants the best for each other is a blessing not all have. God has blessed me with a loving family.

One can do well in his/her chosen profession. You can distinguish yourself academically. You may have the biggest house on the block or the finest car money can buy. However, all of those things pale in comparison to family. My greatest desire is to worship and serve my heavenly Father. My next priority is to be the husband and father my family needs. That means they need to be able to see my Lord in all my life.

Father, thank you for parents who love me unconditionally. You allowed me to grow up in a Christian home where you were loved. Thank you for a godly wife who's worth more than rubies (Proverbs 31:10). Thank you for children, including our daughter-in-law, who love you. And thank you for two beautiful granddaughters.

Father, I love you and ask you to guide me so that I can be a godly example for my family.

Living Through Suffering

It's a tough month for me. At sixteen years of age I started having problems with allergies. After a lot of tests it turned out I was allergic to most things that grow. (Well, let's just say the list is long.) I took the shots to desensitize me. It didn't help. At the age of twenty-six I was told I needed to live in air conditioning and forget any outside activity. Later, I went to another doctor who started a new round of shots and told me I was "mostly" cured.

I've lived with my allergies for forty years. For six to eight months every Spring I suffer. And, for forty years I've asked God to heal me. I've faithfully trusted God to heal me on his time frame. I've considered the possibility that God has left me with the allergies so that, like Paul, I can declare that God's grace is sufficient.

This week I lost it. It's been a particularly bad week for me. My allergies have been at their worst. One night this week I couldn't breathe. My medication didn't seem to be working. And, because I couldn't breathe, I couldn't sleep.

So, I spent my sleep hours trying to breathe and wipe my nose. In between I prayed. No, I begged. I pleaded. I asked God why. I reminded God I had trusted him. That I had given my life to ministry for him. Then I offered an ultimatum. I told God I wanted him to either heal me or take me home.

The next morning I was still on this earth and still suffering. I made an appointment to see the doctor, who gave me a shot and prescribed a new medication. Things are better, but I'm still not healed.

That means I'm a little calmer in my prayers now. I'm still reminding God that I've suffered with these allergies for forty years and that I want to be healed. And yes, I'd rather be home with him than to suffer with the discomfort of my allergies.

Here's the thing that strikes me most. I was hurting and angry. Yet, I knew (and know) that God still loves me. My life is in his hands.

Evangelism vs. Discipleship?

As I was worshiping in a local church the pastor announced that he longed for the day when he baptized people every Sunday. My immediate thought was, is there water in the baptistry? After all, if one longs for the day for it to happen it seems to me that he should be ready for that to happen.

I suppose that some churches just are not reaching people for the kingdom of God because they are not yet prepared. They really do not expect it to happen and are not doing everything on their end to be prepared for it to happen.

However, no sooner had the thought come into my mind than another followed. The Spirit raised another question in my mind and heart. Why would the Father allow a church to baptize people into the kingdom if they were unwilling or unprepared to disciple them? Ouch!

You see, I don't believe that our calling is simply to make converts and baptize them. I believe we have a responsibility to help them grow in their relationship with the Lord. And, if we are unwilling to do that why would God ever allow us the joy of seeing others come to know Christ?

Needless to say, the Father has been speaking to me a lot lately about discipleship. Today He showed me that evangelism and discipleship cannot be separated. They go hand-in-hand. If we have a responsibility to share the good news we also have the responsibility to disciple those whom we lead to Jesus. My prayer is that I'll have ample opportunities to share Christ and lead others in discipleship, to grow in their relationship with God.

The Church

It's seems like I've been involved in ministry forever. Early on I started out working with youth and moved to the education ministry. I went on to the pastorate and now I'm involved as a denominational minister. And, before all of that, I was raised in the home of a minister. So, I guess it's fair to say I've been involved in ministry all my life.

In the past few months I've been thinking about the current condition of the Church. I've got to say that it doesn't look all that good to me. You see, I've been involved, over the years, in all kinds of methods and plans to assist the churches in growing. In fact, I've done my part in leading some of the programs, traveling around the country. All of these methods and plans sounded good at the time. Indeed, for awhile they seemed to work. Churches reached people and things looked good. But in just a few months they lost steam and things returned to normal.

Sadly, churches today are still looking for the latest method, plan, or gimmick to help them grow. Just as soon as the latest idea loses its steam, it's on to the next great plan. To borrow from Shakespeare. There seems to be much ado about nothing.

I think we've done everything humanly possible, and that's the problem. We really haven't relied on the Lord. That's why the Church doesn't look to be in great shape to me right now. Perhaps it's time we confess that we've tried to do it our way and ask the Lord's forgiveness. Perhaps it's time to remember that Jesus said it is His Church and He will build it. What would happen if we would just allow God to do what only He can do in our churches today?

Discipleship

I've been doing a study on discipleship. In the Great Commission Jesus tells the disciples to go and make disciples. It seems like most people want to assume that's about evangelization---producing converts. But a convert and a disciple are not the same. A disciple is a follower and not all converts are followers.

My study of discipleship reaffirmed that discipleship is not an easy walk. Jesus promised that disciples would be persecuted. He said a disciple was not above his master. In Matthew 10 Jesus talks about discipleship. He says that following him may mean being set apart from family and friends. He says no one who cares more for family and friends than he/she does Jesus cannot be a disciple.

Jesus also talks about "cross bearing." The first century believers understood what Jesus was saying. Following Jesus would result in persecution and could result in death. Unless one is willing to face persecution and even death they cannot be a disciple. It's a difficult chapter to accept.

I began to ask the hard questions. Would I be willing to give up my possessions? I found the answer was not what I would like it to be. I could easily give up some things, but others would be hard. Could I give up my job? Could I give up my parents, spouse, children, and grandchildren? Would I be willing to face persecution and even death? In other countries these kinds of things happen, but not in the United States. Still, I wonder?

I began to examine my past. I'm probably more than halfway through my earthly lifespan. There have been times I haven't forsaken all to follow Jesus. There have been times I would have gladly forsaken all to follow Jesus. I know this: I want to follow Jesus as a committed disciple, willing to follow Him wherever He leads.

In Mark 10:28 Peter said, "Behold, we have left everything and followed You." I want that to be my attitude. And, when called upon, I want it to be demonstrated in my action.